The
Firefly Group helps people connect their everyday tasks with a
bigger, wider sense of purpose and meaning. After working with Firefly,
people are energized to attain the mission of their organization and they
have a specific action plan to help them achieve their goals.

We
do this through leadership development, performance improvement training,
strategic planning, and clarification of organizational mission and vision.
Our methods are engaging, thought-filled, and results-oriented.

If
this sounds like a good direction for your organization, let's talk about
how we might collaborate! Please give me a call (802.257.7247) or send an
. - Brian

Thiagi
in New York CitySivasailam "Thiagi"
Thiagarajan will present "Interactive Techniques for Instructor-Led
Training " on October 30, 2012. In the morning session of this two-part
workshop, you will learn how to design a variety of effective and engaging
training activities. In the afternoon, you will learn how to conduct these
activities to ensure the recall and application of new skill and knowledge.
Click HERE
to read the brochure. To register for this one-day event visit thiagi.com.

NASAGA's
50th Anniversary Conference in Columbus, OHRegister
now for the next conference of the North American Simulation and Gaming
Association November 7 - 10, 2012. NASAGA is the best kept secret resource
for all trainers interested in interactive learning.

Spend
quality time with leading practitioners in an intimate setting. Every session
is hands-on; no big boring sessions listening to powerpoint presentations
in dark auditoriums. This will be a very special conference that celebrates
50 years of simulations and games for learning. 24 breakout sessions, three
keynotes, two game night activities, and one amazing alternate reality experience.

Early
bird registration ends August 4 and you can save an additional $10 when
you sign up through PayPal!

Successful group
facilitation depends as much on attitude as technique as we'll learn in this
issue of the Firefly News Flash beginning with this story in exactly 99 words.

Great Groups
Andy is a wonderful musician, teacher, and storyteller. He teaches in schools,
calls at square dances, leads choral groups, and plays a mean accordion.
What Andy doesn't realize is that he's an expert at fostering teamwork.
He has the ability to lead without being in charge - even though he's the
"director."

One comment
while leading a choir of novice singers summarizes his philosophy. He said,
"Here's how you harmonize. Listen to the person next to you and sing something
a little different." One objective but each contributes uniquely.

Want to sharpen
your facilitation skills? Need a quick idea to untangle a tough group? Trying
to analyze why that last meeting nearly went up in smoke?

You can find
answers to these challenges and many others in the Group Works Deck. The result
of a three-year collaborative project, the Group Works Deck is a stack of
91 cards that highlight major concepts or "patterns" relevant to the facilitation
of meetings. Each color-coded card describes one pattern with a picture, a
brief description, and a list of related patterns. Those patterns include
such concepts as Ritual, Feedback, Playfulness, Power Shift, Shared Airtime,
Generate Possibilities, and Silence.

To make learning
and conceptualizing these patterns easier, the creators have divided the 91
patterns into nine categories:

These categories
represent important skill areas for facilitators. As the guidebook accompanying
the Deck explains, "Each category represents a group need addressed by that
set of patterns." Facilitators can use the cards to learn more about the art
of facilitation and to reflect upon their responsibility to help a group achieve
its goals while maintaining an unbiased stance.

The Deck was
developed by facilitators interested in fostering dialogue that expands the
democratic process, citizen involvement, and participation among people with
opposing viewpoints. But the patterns are useful for anyone charged with keeping
a group on track while including all voices. If you'd like to maximize participation
in your next meeting and increase ownership of the outcome, you'll find inspiration
and ideas with these cards.

Learn more at
http://www.groupworksdeck.org/
where you can buy the cards and guidebook or, even better, download a free
PDF of both and become a better facilitator immediately.

Ideas

The
Philosophical Facilitator
The September issue of the Firefly News Flash featured the latest work of
David Kolb who has developed an assessment to identify various roles of educators.
The major roles include that of Facilitator, Expert, Evaluator, and Coach.
At various times, educators need to play all these roles to ensure the Experiential
Learning Cycle is completed by each student.

Many of us find
ourselves playing one of these roles whether or not we are an educator by
profession. Managers, team leaders, department supervisors, human resource
managers, and others in organizations are often called upon to be educators
- without the title. Similarly, these same people convene meetings to share
information, make decisions, evaluate projects, and plan for the future. In
these situations, they become facilitators charged with managing the group
while also having responsibility for the outcome of its work.

Just as it's
helpful for educators to consciously choose which role they are playing, it's
also beneficial for group facilitators to be intentional about what they are
doing. Too often, meetings just "happen." We're lucky if something productive
results. But why leave the outcome up to chance - especially when time and
talent have been invested?

Having a goal
for a meeting is essential but it's also important to have a specific process
in mind for achieving that goal. Deliberately decide how to lead a group at
a particular moment and you'll expand the group's chances for success. To
do this, you'll have to know your own intentions as the facilitator. Are you
interested in a shared decision by group members? Are you striving for consensus?
Are you concerned about rivalries and politics? Are you striving for creativity?
And how impartial do you need to be?

These questions
only scratch the surface of what it means to facilitate a group. Many volumes
provide thoughtful answers and the Group Works Deck, because it is so concise,
is one that is particularly accessible.

Activities

Multiple
Facilitators
The booklet that accompanies the Group Works Deck describes nearly a dozen
suggestions for using the cards. The book explains both individual and group
activities that develop facilitator competencies.

The multiple
responsibilities of a facilitator don't all have to be done by one person.
Why not share responsibility for the group's success with each member? Here's
one way to do that.

Identify various
facilitator tasks and write one each on a slip of paper. Tasks might include
time keeper, gatekeeper, agenda monitor, recorder, summarizer, inquirer, and
process observer. Ask each person to select a paper at random then challenge
them to be the person who makes sure that facilitation task is used during
the meeting.

For an added
twist, have people keep their task a secret while making sure it is used to
create a positive meeting. At the end of the meeting, let people guess who
was using which facilitator task. Follow up by giving everyone a chance to
provide a self-assessment of their performance as both a group participant
and a group facilitator.

The responsibilities
of a facilitator can be challenging. So, why force one person to sing solo
when you've got a whole room full of vocalists? As in the 99-Word Story, good
groups harmonize. If your group is making beautiful music, please
. I'd like to hear it!

If
you like what you have read in this issue, I would like to bring the
same innovation, creativity, and playfulness to your next meeting or
learning event.

Whether
you need a keynote speaker, or help with strategic planning, performance
improvement, or training facilitators and trainers in your organization,
I look forward to your call (802.257.7247) or .

--
Brian

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